Smartphones are now outselling cheap feature phones for the first time ever

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Fancy pants smartphones are now outselling cheaper feature phones for the first time in history, according to new findings from research firm IDC.

Tracking shipments over the first three months of 2013, 51.6% of the 418.6 million mobile phones shipped were smartphones. The number of phones shipped for the traditionally slow quarter (Q4 2012, the holiday season, saw shipments hit 483.2 million) rose year-on-year too, with 2012’s Q1 shipments peaking at 402.4 million.

“Phone users want computers in their pockets. The days where phones are used primarily to make phone calls and send text messages are quickly fading away,” said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.

“As a result, the balance of smartphone power has shifted to phone makers that are most dependent on smartphones.”

Samsung are shown to be the biggest mobile manufacturer for the quarter, shipping 115 million phones for a 27% market share, more than rivals Apple, Nokia, LG and ZTE combined.

Nokia sits in second place, with 14.8% market share and 61.9 million phones shipped, with Apple in third at 8.9% market share and 37.4 million phones shipped over the quarter.